Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mommas out there! Ironically enough I spent the weekend with my parents and sister in Oklahoma despite living less than a mile from my parents here in Texas. Regardless, we got to celebrate both our mom and my sister’s graduation.

Momma B and her two girls (sorry brother)

I know Texas has a reputation for big hair, along with the 80’s, and airport security has led me to form a theory. Houston security never checks my hair, however on my flights back to the great Lone Star state I often get asked to step aside so they can check my hair. What could I possibly have in there that the body scanner doesn’t catch?? I’ve decided people outside of Texas question the big hair.

Anyways. One of my mom’s favorite cupcakes is mint chocolate. She’s always been a fan of the combination, which is probably where I got it from. I have many memories of her getting me York patties or Junior Mints as a treat. These cupcakes are based off of Andes mints. Andes mints were one of my favorite things about going to Olive Garden. These cupcakes are the perfect blend of chocolate and mint, the flavors balancing each other out without overpowering the other.

Chocolate Cupcakes

I made my devil’s food chocolate cupcakes. If you haven’t caught on, this is my go-to chocolate recipe and I use it a LOT as the base for flavor combinations. While these are baking, you can go ahead and make the mint chocolate ganache for the filling.

Mint Chocolate Ganache

8 oz. baking chocolate

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp. butter, room temp

2 tsp. peppermint extract

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and transfer it to a bowl. Heat the heavy cream and butter until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute and then slowly stir it to combine the chocolate and cream. Add the peppermint extract and stir until combined. Let it cool, stirring it every now and then. I let mine get thick enough so that I can pipe it into the cupcakes (easiest way to fill them).

Mint Buttercream Frosting

8 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cup shortening (can use a combo of shortening and butter)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. peppermint extract

dash of salt

Cream the shortening until smooth. Add in the extracts, salt, and milk. Gradually add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, letting each cup mix in before adding another. I added some green to make my frosting mint green.

Fill the cupcakes with the ganache and then frost them with the mint buttercream. I’ve garnished these two ways- one with a whole Andes mint on top, and one with Andes mint pieces sprinkled on top. The whole mint looks better in my opinion, but the pieces distribute better and mix in better with the cupcake. Your call. It’s a win/win situation though!